(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical forceps device with a suture cutter in the handle of the forceps. In particular, the present invention relates to a surgical forceps device with inward facing points at the end of spaced apart arms that are specifically designed to hold the sides of a surgical incision together during suturing. The handle of the forceps provides for a knife blade that is partially exposed by a notch in the handle so that a suture can be cut by pulling the suture against the knife blade. The knife blade preferably folds out of the handle for changing.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has described various types of devices for cutting and removing sutures from a healed or closed incision. These devices are generally comprised of tweezers or forceps that are held between the thumb and forefinger. The devices enable a surgeon or nurse to pick a suture away from an incision and cut the suture. The prior art has also described combination tools used for plucking and cutting small objects other than sutures. Illustrative of the prior art suture cutters and combination tool devices are U.S. Pat. No. 219,633 to Gifford; 223,444 to Gifford; 574,178 to Stebbins; 1,046,361 to Wulff; 2,608,698 to Mindheim; 2,998,649 to Miller et al; 3,054,182 to Whitton, Jr.; 3,266,493 to Cummings; 3,364,572 to Hoppe; 3,879,846 to Allen, Jr.; 4,053,979 to Tuthill et al; 4,271,838 to Lasner et al.
Gifford describe two types of tweezer devices. One U.S. Pat. No. 223,444 describes a retractable knife between the arms of the tweezers while the other U.S. Pat. No. 219,633 describes a file and fingernail cutter When the knife is retracted it is not functional.
Stebbins describes cutting shears with a can opener at a distal end of one of the legs of the shears.
Wulff describes tweezers that are foldable into a pocket knife. The blade is not functional when folded into the knife.
Mindheim discloses a forceps-like tool with cutting blades in opposed legs of the forceps so that stubs, threads, thread ends, knots and other extraneous material in a piece of woven fabric can be picked out and cut away to leave the fabric in a smooth and finished condition.
Miller et al describes spaced apart legs in the form of tweezers that are equipped with a cutter which operates on a punch and die principle. One of the legs has a wedge with a notch while the other leg provides for a slot. The leg with the wedge is slid under the suture until the suture slips into the notch. The tweezers are then closed together and the suture is sheared when the wedge engages the leg with the slot.
Whitton, Jr. describes a device particularly adapted for lifting and cutting surgical sutures that is comprised of U-shaped tweezers having spaced apart elongated straight arms formed from an integral intermediate curved portion One of the arms forms a rounded probe for lifting sutures while the other arm comprises a blade in a holder that provides for traverse movement toward the lifted suture, thereby cutting the suture when the spaced apart arms are squeezed together.
Cummings combines scissors and tweezers in a single device. The scissors and tweezers are so related that a suture can be cut and removed in a continuous operation while the instrument is still held in the fingers of the operator. The device may be rotated by the fingers to position either the scissors or a gripping means in the proper position to effectually cut and remove sutures.
Hoppe describes a slender elongated device in the form of tweezers having narrow jaws at an outer or operating end for engaging and holding a suture. A knife is arranged to slide adjacent to the operating end of the device. A spring biased plunger near the grasping portion of the device is operable by the hand for causing the knife to slide forward and sever the suture close to the point where the suture is being engaged and held at the outer end of the device.
Allen, Jr. describes a combination device for cutting and removing surgical sutures that consists of tweezers with a longitudinal suture cutting element extending between spaced apart arms of the tweezers. The suture cutting element is anchored to one arm and to the bight of the tweezers body.
Tuthill et al describes a disposable suture cutter formed of tweezers that are held between the fingers and thumb. The tweezers have opposed free ends with one of the free ends shaped so that it can be inserted under a suture with a suture retaining groove for holding the suture. A cutting blade is attached to the other free end of the tweezers. The cutting blade end of the tweezers allows for movement traversely and downwardly to cut the suture being held by the retaining groove.
Lasner et al describes a forceps device for cutting sutures that is comprised of two shanks pivotably connected at a point intermediate their respective handle ends and their tool ends. The tool end of one of the shanks provides for a blade with a knife edge while the other tool end provides for a member that bifurcates into spaced apart arms that form a slot. The spaced apart arms allow for a suture to slide into the slot without the suture pulling through the slot when a knot is tied in the suture. When the handle ends are squeezed together, the blade shearingly contacts the spaced apart arms on the side of the member away from the closed incision so that when the physician snips the end of the suture, there is not a risk of also cutting living tissue. A variation of the device provides for shearing contact between the blade and the member in the form of tweezers.
The problem with the prior art is that the devices are either designed to only cut and remove sutures after the incision has been sutured closed, or they consist of tweezers that are not specifically designed for use in a surgical environment.